Homecoming
by Flaming Trails
Summary: Doc's coming home, but have things changed between him and Marty? Chronologically the first Trilogy story.
1. Rebound

Homecoming

A BTTF: Trilogy Story

By Flaming Trails

Disclaimer: I don't own BTTF. If I did, I'd make sure to get my hands on all of Chris Lloyd's costumes.

Note: This comes before "Abominable Doc" and "True Hero."

Chapter 1

Sunday, October 27th, 1985

Hill Valley

12:04 P. M.

"Where ya goin'? Back to the future?"

Doc smiled at him, leaning out the window. "Nope. Already been there!"

As if to underscore his point, the Jules Verne-ian train rose into the air. Marty and Jennifer waved at it as it chugged away, finally vanishing in a flash of brilliant light and with a loud whistle. Marty stared at the spot where it had gone for a moment. Then he sighed. "Bye Doc," he whispered. "Have a nice life."

Jennifer gave his shoulders a reassuring squeeze. "Don't talk like that. He'll be back. Even if it's just to visit."

Marty gave her a small smile. "Yeah." His smile flip-flopped into a frown of concern. "Are you okay? I mean, with all that's happened?"

"Well, I'm kinda pissed at being left out of the loop," Jennifer admitted, scowling. "Doc sent me to sleep -- what? Five seconds into the trip?"

"He was worried about you knowing too much about the future. I don't think he was thinking all that clearly either, he seemed kinda frantic." Marty chuckled. "Although I guess his plan kinda backfired on him, huh?" Jennifer laughed and nodded. "Hey, what did you see in our future house? I've been wondering, since we lived in Hilldale and all."

Jennifer made a face. "Well, first of all, it looked like we had eloped. Our wedding picture was from the Chapel O'Love."

"What?!"

"Yeah. Your mom and your dad were visiting -- they'd brought dinner -- and she was being really mean to you behind your back. She said she'd ruined your life in an auto accident, and that you just gave up on life, and that I married you out of pity." Jennifer shook her head. "I couldn't believe Lorraine could be that catty!"

"Wonderful. What was I, a one-hit wonder?"

Jennifer dropped her eyes. "Uh -- actually, you worked at some sort of Japanese company. For Needles."

Marty gaped at her. "Kill me now, why don't you?"

"But Marty, that's all over with!" Jennifer showed him the blank fax she had shown Doc before. "See, I got this fax from the future. Needles had just gotten you fired for doing something illegal. But when you didn't race him, it erased. Doc just told us the future's whatever you make of it, right? That means you didn't get fired, and with any luck, that you didn't work there in the first place." She frowned at Marty. "I don't want to make our future a clone of the one I saw."

Marty smiled and kissed her. "You're right. I want to make a great future for us." He looked around nervously. "Come on, we'd better get the time machine stuff picked up. I'm surprised the police aren't swarming around here."

"Would you take it seriously if someone told you they'd seen a DeLorean riding on the train tracks?" Marty conceded her point, and together they cleaned up the remains of the flux capacitor and the time circuits. They vacated the scene just in time to see a couple of police cars going toward it. "Whew, close call," Marty muttered. "I'd better get home and out of these clothes."

"Yeah, it is weird to see you dressed up like a cowboy. What have you and the Doc been _doing?_"

"It's a really long story, Jennifer. After Doc put you to sleep, he told me about a problem with our future son Marty Junior. Turns out the kid is a total wimp and gets involved with Biff's grandson. . . ."

Marty was still trying to explain when they pulled up to the McFly house. The rest of the family was nowhere to be seen. "Guess they left for brunch without me," Marty said with a shrug. Sure enough, a note on the door read:

_Marty_

_We'll be back in a couple of hours. Put your cowboy costume in the wash, it looks like it needs a bath._

_Love Mom and Dad_

Marty chuckled. "Oh, guys, if you only knew," he muttered. He looked over at Jennifer. "Can you tell me anything I'd have to know about this version of the McFlys? The ones I remember were nerdy losers -- Dad worked for Biff, Mom drank a lot, Dave worked at Burger King, and Linda whined about having no boyfriends."

Jennifer was surprised. "Wow, you did change stuff back in the 50s," she commented. "Well, George is now a pretty famous author -- he's written a ton of short stories over the years that have gotten pretty popular. Just came out with his first novel."

"Right, I got that."

"Lorraine works at a tennis club I think. I know Dave works at an office job, but I don't know the details. Linda works at a fashion boutique."

"Doesn't sound bad. I guess I have a job now too. . . ."

Jennifer grinned as they walked to Marty's room. "Cashier at Roy's Records. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, three to six."

Marty grinned back. "Cool." He grabbed some clothes from his closet. "Anything else?"

"Well, George is a pretty generous guy -- you've complained to me about him making frivolous purchases. I think he just bough a case of peanut brittle from some kid to help their baseball team."

Marty groaned loudly. "Oh, no! At least he didn't buy it because he was too weak to say no, but still. . . ."

Jennifer patted him on the back. "Sorry. But it's really nothing to get upset about, is it?"

"Nah." He smiled and kissed her. "Just let me change and we'll go to the lake. My weekend's not totally shot. And I'll try to explain the rest to you then." Jennifer smiled and left him to change.

As Marty pulled on a pair of fresh jeans, he heard a knock at the door. "Hey, Jen, who is it?" he yelled.

"It's the police!" she yelled back.

"Shit," Marty mumbled, yanking up his zipper. He jogged down the hall to see a policeman standing at the door patiently. _Okay, I can handle this,_ he told himself. _It's not any worse than getting back to 1985._ He took a deep breath and went to the door with a smile. "Hello officer."

The policeman gave him a stern look. "You're Marty McFly, right? George's son?"

"That's me. Can I help you with anything?"

"I believe you can -- I'm Officer Stephens, by the way. We just found what appears to be your friend Dr. Brown's DeLorean on the train tracks, totally destroyed. We were able to round up a few witnesses, and they reported seeing a teenager that matched your description, dressed in a cowboy outfit, inside before it was hit by a train. Can you tell us what happened?"

Marty thought fast. "Yeah, it was -- one of Doc's inventions. A literal kind of railroad car. He thought actual cars that ran on railroad tracks would be the preferred mode of transportation in the future. He asked me to take a look at it this morning, check out if it worked. Doc wasn't thinking about it getting hit by a real train, I'm sure." Marty shivered as he recalled seeing that mammoth diesel engine coming at him.

"I take it that's why it was decorated so strangely."

"Yeah. Once it got hit, I picked up all the invention stuff. I didn't want any vandals stealing it. Doc would want me to save his work."

"Where is Dr. Brown, anyway? Shouldn't he have been there for his own test run?"

Marty smiled a little. "He left to see an out-of-town friend, a schoolteacher. This wasn't supposed to be a test run, just a check of everything."

"When will he be back?"

"I don't know," Marty admitted. "He left in a hurry. All I got were the instructions and a note not to worry about him or his friend."

"Well, when he does return, have him call us. There's nothing explicitly illegal about putting a car on the railroad tracks, but we'd appreciate an explanation."

"Sure, no problem."

"And -- just out of curiosity, what was with the cowboy costume?"

Jennifer came to Marty's rescue. "That was my fault. Marty wanted to go as Clint Eastwood to a Halloween party with me. I picked up the costume early and had him try it on before he left."

"Yeah, exactly," Marty nodded, shooting her a grateful look.

Officer Stephens nodded, satisfied. "Thanks a lot. This is the first story that's actually had some evidence to it. We've gotten a few strange calls about DeLoreans lately. One person even reported he'd saw one flying."

"Really." Marty forced a laugh. "Well, you guys know Doc and his inventions."

"We do indeed. Besides, most of them were from cranks." He touched his cap. "We'll keep in touch."

Marty nodded and closed the door. "Whew!" he said, shaking his head. "I'm sick of all these close calls. Thanks for covering for me, Jennifer."

"No problem. You bullshitted him beautifully yourself," Jennifer told him. "I doubt he's gonna investigate. Everybody pretty much thinks Doc's a little nutty."

"Yeah, lucky for him for once." Marty looked around for a minute, still marveling over how much things had changed. "Man, I feel ten years older. Being a time traveler puts a new spin on everything."

Jennifer kissed his cheek. "I know. I'm already thinking of what's going to happen to us when we have kids and get jobs. . . ." She frowned. "Can we _not_ name our kids after you? Marlene's not that bad, but Marty Junior. . . ."

Marty chuckled. "Jen, we've still got a few years to decide what we're going to call them." He put his arm around her shoulders. "Come on, let's get down to the lake."


	2. Another Letter?

Chapter 2

Monday, November 4th, 1985

Hill Valley

11:48 A. M.

The next week seemed to fly by for Marty. By Monday evening, he had found he had some pretty solid memories of growing up in his new family. The old memories remained, but they felt more like a dream -- which was just fine with Marty. The new George and Lorraine were a bit puzzled over his unusual behavior at first, but Marty managed to explain it away with the story he had given the cop. The McFlys were willing to overlook any little discrepancies after that.

School hadn't changed much either. He was in the same classes as before, although he seemed to be getting slightly better grades. He hung out with the same group of friends, as did Jennifer for the most part -- Marty spotted a few faces missing and a couple of new ones in her crowd. The Pinheads were the same as well, much to Marty's relief. By Halloween, he felt pretty much accustomed to his new life. But there was one very important element missing.

Doc.

Every day Marty walked to his garage, hoping that Doc would be there. He desperately wanted to see his best friend again. He missed him terribly. After all they had gone through together, it seemed beyond unfair that they would end up in different time periods.

He tried to convince himself everything was okay. _It all worked out,_ he thought. _Doc's got a family now. He's got a wife and kids who love him. And he's always loved the Old West. He told me himself living back there would be a great way to spend his retirement years. You're being selfish for wanting him to come back to 1985. He's happy where he is. Give it up._

But he couldn't. He just couldn't.

He never acted that way around his friends, though. He was all smiles when he talked about Doc and his new girlfriend to them. He didn't want any of them to know he was hurting inside. Most of his pals were convinced by his charade. But Jennifer and the Pinheads knew better.

"Marty," Jennifer began as they sat down to lunch, "we need to talk."

"You're acting weird, man," agreed J. J. "Goin' on and on about Dr. B leaving. And you're all happy about it."

"So? He's happy. He's got a girl. He's got a nice life where he is. Why shouldn't he be happy?" Marty grinned. "Why shouldn't _I_ be happy?"

Jennifer sighed. "That's just it, Marty. You're not happy. You're putting on an act for us. We know you miss him. I mean, he was your best friend. We know you're upset."

"Look, I do miss him. We had a good run together. But I don't see the point in getting all emotional over it. Right?"

Jennifer and the Pinheads looked at each other. "He's happy," Marty pressed. "I want him to be happy."

The group nodded reluctantly. "Good. Now, guys, I heard the YMCA's holding auditions for a Thanksgiving concert. We should try out."

"I'd say sure, except that I hear Mr. Gipe is judging that one too," Rick said, a tad sullenly. "That guy hates us."

"Come on, you guys. 'If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.'"

"With all due respect, Dr. B never met our shop teacher, Marty."

Marty's chuckle turned into a groan as he heard a familiar voice. "Hey, the big M! I've been looking for ya."

"Hey Needles," Marty said as the teen pulled up a chair at their table. "What's up?"

"McFly, you never raced me, that's what's up. I mean, I know my truck kicks ass, but it couldn't have beaten you that badly. Why'd you turn chicken on me at the last second?"

"Well, first 'cause street-racing's illegal, and second 'cause I didn't want anyone getting hurt. Didn't you see that Rolls that nearly smacked into you? I would have hit that car. I'm not risking my life or Jennifer's just to prove something." Jennifer reached over and squeezed his hand.

"Oh, like hell. You're just a chicken."

Marty leaned forward. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Marty looked at him hard for a minute. Jennifer bit her lip, while the Pinheads looked nervous. Then Marty looked Needles straight in the eye--

And clucked.

The Pinheads burst into laughter. Needles looked completely baffled. "What is with you, man?"

"Forget it, Needles. I don't have to prove anything to you."

"Fine, McFly, be that way," Needles snapped, looking annoyed that he hadn't been able to ruffle Marty. "We all know you're a chicken."

"Is there a problem, gentlemen?"

Both teens turned to face Mr. Strickland, gazing down at them with a sneer. "We're fine, sir," Needles said with oily charm.

"Yeah, everything's cool sir," Marty agreed. He didn't feel like getting into a fight with Needles. Facing down Biff, Griff, and Buford had given him enough fighting for a lifetime.

Strickland, scowling, turned to Marty. "I don't think so, Mr. McFly. Are you still smarting over the fact that he's gone?"

Nobody needed to ask who he was. Marty gazed levelly at Strickland. "He _was_ my best friend, sir. I miss him."

"I know. I told you he was no good. Now look what's happened. He's run off with some woman who probably thinks he's rich." Marty glared at him, getting to his feet. Jennifer grabbed his arm and shook her head warningly. "Or else he's been captured by what's left of those Libyan terrorists he talked to. Face facts, McFly," Strickland said, putting his finger in Marty's face. "You're never going to see him again. He's left. He's _gone_."

There was a moment of tense silence as the pair glowered at each other. Then, to Marty's horror, he felt tears start to trickle down his face. _Shit! No, don't cry, don't cry,_ he thought frantically as he saw Strickland draw back in surprise. But he couldn't. The emotions he'd been suppressing for so long finally burst out of him. Practically sobbing from grief, he bolted from the cafeteria, followed by the shocked eyes of his classmates and Strickland. "Holy shit, sir," Needles said.

"I -- I -- didn't--" Strickland stammered, flustered. "Miss Parker, go -- go calm him down."

Jennifer was way ahead of him. She jogged after Marty, followed by the Pinheads, Needles, and Strickland. They found Marty sitting by the lockers down the hall, face buried in his hands. "Shit. . . . He is gone. And he'll never come back. . . . Damn it, Doc, I need you. . . ."

Jennifer put her hand on Marty's arm. "Marty. . . ."

Marty looked up, then grabbed her tight and pulled her down next to him, as if afraid she would leave too. "Jennifer, what if I never _do_ see him again? He's my best friend! I miss him. I want him to come home."

"Marty, he'll be back. You're his best friend too, ya know. He wouldn't just _leave_."

"He might. It's not like he needs me anymore. He's got someone else now.

"Don't talk like that. He'd be a damn ungrateful friend just to abandon you." She used her napkin to wipe Marty's eyes. "Why don't you head to the bathroom and clean up a little?"

"I guess I should." Marty sniffed, then laughed humorlessly. "Jesus, I must look like a nutjob."

"I think you embarrassed the hell out of Strickland, too," Rick told him quietly.

Marty looked back at Strickland. The vice-principal in charge of discipline was standing there, looking unsure what to do. "Sorry, sir," Marty lied, not wanting a detention.

"No, no, it's all right," Strickland said, slowly but deliberately backing away. "Get cleaned up and get to class." Marty nodded, and Strickland walked out back to the cafeteria, very ill at ease.

Needles gave Marty a strange look. "You're weird, McFly," he finally said before abandoning the group.

"Better weird than an asshole," Marty muttered. He headed for the boy's bathroom, wiping his eyes.

Rick joined him. "Man, I think you really confused him. I bet he's never made anyone cry before." Marty just shrugged. "As much as I hate to agree with him, I think he might have a point. Dr. B might not be coming back. Most of the town hates him. If he's found a girl out of state, why would he bother to come back?"

"I know, that's what I've been telling myself. But -- I need him to come back. He's been like -- my dad and my brother. He's family by this point. We've been through a lot together. To have him just -- _leave_ like this. . . ."

"You _do_ have other friends, you know," Rick said, a hint of annoyance creeping into his voice. "You haven't been abandoned. Or do we not count?"

"Rick, you don't understand. You and the guys, you're great, you're my pals. It's great hanging out with ya. And hopefully one day we'll all be rich and famous as a band. But Doc. . . ." Marty searched for words. "It's like there's this big void in my life. And nothing else can fill it." He sighed. "It's hard to explain."

Rick considered him a minute. "I never really thought about how close you guys were. I always saw him as a just a bud."

"He wasn't just a bud to me." Marty turned and looked Rick in the eyes. "Rick -- have you ever had somebody you'd die for? I've got two -- Jennifer, of course, and Doc. If I had to risk my life for his, I'd do it in a heartbeat." His eyes were far away, thinking of the gamble he had taken when he had pulled his "Clint Eastwood's bullet-proof vest" trick.

Rick seemed highly unnerved by this little confession. "Marty, nobody's asking ya to die for them."

"I know, sorry. I was just trying to explain how important he was to me." Marty turned and stared in the mirror. "I'm happy he's happy, but I wish he could be happy here."

Rick gave him a friendly slap on the back. "We'll always be here for ya. Even if he isn't." He smiled. "So, was that talk about the YMCA bullshit to avoid the subject, or do you really want to try out for that?"

"Little of both." Marty blew his nose. "If you want to try out, we can practice after school at my house."

"Sounds good to me."

Tuesday, November 5th, 1985

Hill Valley

2:34 P. M.

Marty felt more depressed than usual as he walked home. Today was the day that he had landed back in 1955 and started altering history. It was an important date to both him and Doc, and Marty had kinda looked forward to sharing it with him once all their adventures were over. But now, with Doc touring the space-time continuum --

"Look, buddy, I'm his father! I think I can sign for it."

"Mr. McFly, the sender left very specific instructions that this envelope be given _directly_ to Marty McFly. I don't know why, but I'm obliged to follow them."

Marty looked to see his father standing on the front step of their house, engaged in an argument with a Western Union man. "Hey, what's going on Dad?"

George turned to his son with a frown. "It looks like a late Halloween prank to me. Apparently one of your friends sent you a letter, and thought it would be funny to not let anyone else take it for you."

"Sir, that can't be it. I can assure you that this envelope has been in Western Union's possession for 93 years, give or take."

Marty's eyes bulged. "93 years," he repeated softly.

"And I say you've been hoodwinked," George persisted. "Anybody can make a letter look old. It's not that hard."

"It's been passed down from office to office--"

"I got it," Marty said, yanking the sign sheet from the guy's hands. He scribbled down his signature. "Thanks a lot." He grabbed the envelope and raced to his room.

George and the WU guy stared after him. "Wait! Who's it from?" George called.

"The Doc!"

Marty fell onto his bed, excited. Even if Doc wasn't here, he had at least taken the time to write him again. He eagerly tried to open the envelope to see what Doc had sent him.

Only to find the seal wouldn't give. He pulled harder. Nothing. He grabbed some scissors and tried to cut the top open. To his surprise, he couldn't. Puzzled, he even tried chewing on it. All that netted him was a funny taste in his mouth. Frustrated, he sat back and scowled at it. How did Doc expect him to read his letter if he couldn't get it open?

Then he noticed something odd about the seal. There seemed to be a strip of clear tape covering the top of the envelope. The corner he had chewed on, however was multicolored like an oil spill. Curious, he ran a finger over the tape. It turned completely multicolored and released with a strange sucking sound. Marty grinned and popped open the top easily. _Ten bucks says Doc got that from the future. I guess he really didn't want anyone but me opening it._

Peeking inside, there seemed to be a heck of a lot of paper. Marty emptied the contents onto his bed. Out fell newspaper articles, photos, what looked like certificates, and a couple of sheets of paper. Marty picked the latter up first, and saw two dates at the top of one sheet:

_April 7th, 1892_

_November 5th, 1985_

Marty smiled again and rearranged the letter so the pieces were in order. Pushing the other stuff aside, he began reading.

_Dear Marty,_

_Greetings from the past. If Western Union continues its trend of excellent service, you should receive this letter on November 5th, 1985. The reason for the date should be obvious to you._

_As you've probably noticed, I'm writing this letter from the year 1892. Excluding our brief meeting when I checked on you with my train, it has been exactly six years and seven months since I last saw you. I've really missed you Marty. I was very glad to see that you were well and that Hill Valley was relatively unchanged by our actions in the past. As you may imagine, I've been rather nervous about living back in the Old West. _

_Which is part of the reason I've decided to return to the future._

"YES!" Marty cried. "Yes!"

_Not right away, you understand. After all, I'd have a hell of a time explaining the sudden presence of Clara, Jules, and Verne. I won't officially be back until 1986, or if need demands it, 1987. But I promise that you will see me before then. There's a lot of matters I'll need your assistance with, not the least of which is the search for a new house. And I have to say, the holidays would not be the same without you._

_So, let us get down to business. First off, I had a quick chat with your older self. Don't worry about your future, everything is fine. Your address and job have both changed._ Marty sighed in relief._ He told me that you've been saying that I'm visiting with my out-of-state girlfriend, a schoolteacher named Clara. I think you gave away a bit too much with saying she's a schoolteacher, but that's all right. Just expand your story to include that she's a widow with two young boys. I'll secure the proper papers before we return._

_Second, extend my apologies to Jennifer. I acted very foolishly toward her in our travels, and I'm sorry. It was merely out of ignorance and inexperience. Please ask her to forgive me -- I consider her a close friend as well, and I don't want her hating me._

_Third, I can't keep you in the dark about what's going in with the new Brown family, can I? Jules is six, born May 25th, 1886, and Verne is four, born October 29th, 1887. They're both very clever and love to follow me around my workshop. Jules likes to help me with the horses, while Verne enjoys playing with his paints. Clara and I got married September 15th, 1885, in the local church. Most everyone seemed rather against our marriage -- what would happen if I died before Clara, etc. My rejuvenation suddenly came in _very_ handy -- I managed to convince everyone that I was really 47 and that my hair had just turned white very early. The town was leery of a married schoolteacher, so they hired a new woman, and Clara assists her. (Much to my relief.) She's doing very well, although she still shudders a little any time we get too close to the ravine. We're all very happy, to be sure, and excited about the move. Clara says she'll miss the 1800s, but she understands the future is my home and where we need to be. I've told the boys all about you, and they're very eager to meet you. Just like I'm eager to see you again._

Marty frowned and reread that last sentence. Something about it seemed odd. The large space between it and the previous sentence indicated Doc had thought a lot before writing it down. There seemed to be a lot of emotion in that sentence. But what, and why?

_Oh, hell, I'm probably just reading too much into it,_Marty figured. _Doc's probably worried about all the stuff that's gonna happen when he comes home, that's all._ He continued on.

_Marty -- I can't do my feelings justice on the printed page. I want you to know that I thought of you every day. I miss you a lot. I deeply cherish our friendship, and all the sacrifices we made for each other. You're one of the most heroic men I've met._

Marty's lower lip quivered. This sounded like the letter Doc had first sent him from 1885. Sternly telling himself to get a grip, he finished.

_That is why I know I can trust you with my family's most treasured possession -- its history. I don't dare leave too much evidence of our existence behind in 1892 -- too many potential problems from nosy historians. But at the same time, I don't really wish to destroy it -- it represents our memories. Included are the boy's birth certificates, my and Clara's wedding license, photos, wedding and birth announcements, and a story about Eastwood Ravine that I thought you might enjoy. Please keep them safe until we can collect them._

_Thank you, Marty. You'll always have a special place in my heart. I hope to see you soon._

_Your friend in time,_

_"Doc" Emmett Brown, ELB_

Marty smiled through watery eyes. How could Doc write such touching letters? He wished he could write back, but contented himself with the thought that hopefully soon he'd be able to say what he wanted to Doc's face. Blinking back the tears, he picked up the other material and started looking through it.

The first things he encountered were some of Doc's wedding photos. Doc and Clara gazed adoringly at each other in each. Marty smiled as he saw Maggie and Seamus in a few, looking quite pleased. "Man, I wish I could have been there," he murmured.

Finishing those, he progressed to the kids. There were a few pictures of Jules and Verne, mostly as babies. The kids had also each included something in the envelope for him. From Jules was a miniature horseshoe. _I made it all by myself,_ his note said proudly. _It's for good luck. Jules_

Verne had given him a picture. Marty recognized a crude drawing of himself and Jennifer waving to the train. _Your girlfriend is pretty like Mama. I can't wait to meet you. Verne,_ his note said, obviously written for him by Clara.

Marty set both things aside to put on his wall later, and called Jennifer to tell her the news. While he was waiting for her to pick up, he took a look at the boys' birth certificates. When he saw the names on them, he forgot to talk for a minute. "Hello?" Jennifer called. "Who's there?"

Marty finally found his voice. "He named them after me."

"Huh?"

"Doc named his kids after me, Jen. Listen -- Jules Clint Brown and Verne Calvin Brown. Clint Eastwood and Calvin Klein, it's gotta be."

Jennifer was very confused. "Marty, how do you know that?"

"What? Oh, yeah, he just sent me a letter! He's coming home, Jennifer! Back to the 80s!"

"All right! See, I told you he wouldn't just leave."

"I know, sorry for not believing you. He wants to say sorry too. Says he behaved very foolishly and doesn't want you mad at him."

"I guess I can forgive him. I doubt he's going to pull that stunt again."

Marty chuckled. "Me too. And he sent me a bunch of stuff from his family -- wedding photos, birth certificates, you name it. He told me he wanted me to keep them safe for him." Marty grinned a photo of Doc. "He doesn't want it lying around where it can get him into trouble."

"Good idea. That sounds really neat; can I come over and see."

"Sure." In a few minutes, Jennifer was in Marty's room, looking over the various articles with him. "Clara's wedding dress is so beautiful," she sighed. "I'd love to be married in a dress like that."

"Doc looks pretty snazzy too," Marty admitted. "It's pretty odd to see him in a suit."

"Well, he couldn't get married in a Hawaiian shirt and cargo pants, could he?" Jennifer giggled.

"This is Doc we're talking about. I've seen him wear the same clothes four days in a row when he's working hard on a project." Marty had a funny thought. "Hey, when he gets back, we should ask him if he's met any Parkers."

"Yeah! That would be so cool, considering he's met practically all of your relatives already." Jennifer shook her head. "Doc with a wife and kids. . . . It's gonna be weird when he comes home."

"Who cares. _He's coming home_. We'll adapt to it. We always do."

Jennifer wasn't so sure, but she wasn't about to burst Marty's bubble. She liked seeing him this way, instead of miserable about losing his best friend. She put an arm around him. "Well, I hope you're right."

Marty grinned at her confidently. "I'm sure I am."


	3. Getting To Know You

Chapter 3

Tuesday, November 12th, 1985

Hill Valley

6:50 A.M.

Doc picked the absolute perfect day to return to the present-day Hill Valley. Just as Marty was sitting down to breakfast, the doorbell rang. Lorraine frowned, puzzled. "It's a little early for visitors," she muttered, answering the door. "Hello?"

"Hi Lorraine. Is Marty up?"

"Doc!" Marty promptly forgot about his cornflakes and jogged toward the door. "Yeah, I'm up. How ya doin', Doc?"

Doc smiled at his best friend. "Feeling good that I can see you again, Marty," he said, unabashedly hugging his friend.

"It's good to see you too, Doc." Marty looked around. "Where's Clara and the boys?"

"At my garage, exploring. They wanted to take a look at it before I moved out."

Lorraine smiled. "Marty told us about your new family. When did you get married?"

"Just a little while ago, although we've been dating for about a year. Her parents didn't approve of me, so it was sort of shotgun. That's why I disappeared in October. I would have preferred it to be with all my friends, but you have to take what life gives you."

"Well, I think it's great you met someone who loves you."

"Thanks Lorraine. Is it all right if I bring them over for coffee today? I'd really like you to meet them."

"Well, we'd really like to meet them too! Coffee together sounds great. How does 3:30 sound?"

"Sounds good to me. I'll run it by Clara and call you beforehand." Doc turned to Marty, looking stern. "Now, Marty, about your amplifier. . . ."

Marty blushed. "Sorry, Doc, I didn't realize about the short. Your call came a little too late."

"It's all right. I know you wouldn't have done that on _purpose_. You weren't hurt, were you?" Doc asked, his tone switching to concern.

"Just a sore back for a little while. I'm fine now."

"Glad to hear it. Once I secure a house, you can help me build a new amp."

"I doubt Clara would like that," Marty chuckled. "How is everybody, Doc?"

"Oh, they're all fine. Eager to meet my best friend." Doc frowned a little. "Jules and Verne have taken to calling you 'cousin Marty,' however. They've somehow gotten the idea that we're related."

"Gee, I wonder where that came from," Lorraine kidded. Doc gave her a look. "Considering how close you two are, it's not a far off guess. Speaking of almost relatives, will you be bringing Jennifer, Marty?"

"Sure, she'll want to meet the family too."

"Okay, I'll be sure to prepare for everyone. I'm looking forward to meeting the newest Browns."

Doc nodded. "Thanks. I'd better get back. Clara doesn't like to be left alone in a strange place for too long. I'll see you this afternoon, Marty."

"See you later, Doc." The scientist turned to go. "Oh, and check the weather for tonight. I thought there was a thunderstorm coming."

Doc turned and grinned at him. "I'll be sure to do that. Bye."

Lorraine lifted an eyebrow at Marty. "I heard clear and cool," she said as Doc drove away.

"Since when can weathermen predict the weather," Marty told her with a grin. "I'll bet you five bucks it rains tonight."

"I won't take that bet. You'd better finish your cornflakes before you're late again. I'm sure you don't want detention today."

"No way. I'll see you right after school." Marty inhaled his cornflakes and raced out the door.

Tuesday, November 12th

3:25 P.M.

Shortly before Doc and family were to arrive, Marty found himself at home with not only Jennifer, but the Pinheads in tow. Upon learning that Doc was back in town, Marty's band-mates had insisted on meeting the wife and kids. Marty had finally figured they couldn't do any harm and let them tag along. Needles had also overheard and tried to finagle a invite, but Marty refused him in no uncertain terms.

Linda, sitting next to the band, looked uncomfortable. "I don't even like Dr. Brown that much. Why do we all have to be here?"

"It's only polite, Linda," Lorraine said firmly, setting out a plate of crackers and cheese.

"Your mother's right," George agreed. "Doc Brown is Marty's best friend. We may as well get to know his family." Linda shrugged and sighed.

"What's his wife like?" J.J. asked Marty.

"She's a sweet woman, but she has a lot of spunk. If she wants something, she'll get it. She's also an astronomy buff and loves Jules Verne."

"That figures," Rick smiled.

At exactly 3:30, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it," Marty said, hopping up and going to the door. He opened it to find Doc there, along with a nervously smiling Clara and two wide-eyed little boys. "Hey Doc. Hello ma'am."

"Clara, please," Clara said. "How are you, Marty?"

"I'm fine, you?"

"A little flustered, to be honest." Softer, she added, "The future's complicated. I don't know if I'll ever get used to living here."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll do just fine." He smiled down at the boys. "Hey guys."

"Hi Marty," Jules said softly. Verne just nodded, clinging to his mother's dress.

"Well, we're all waiting for you, so come on in," Marty said, stepping out of the way. The family thanked him and headed inside.

George got up and shook Doc's hand. "It's nice to see you again, Dr. Brown. Especially in the company of such a lovely young lady." Clara blushed while Doc glowed. "Where's Mrs. Brown?"

Doc blinked. "Pardon me?"

"Your wife." George frowned. "This is your new stepdaughter, right?"

Marty hit his head against the breakfast bar. "Sh-oot," he muttered, seeing Jules and Verne looking at him. "I'm sorry about that, Doc, Clara. It just never occurred to me to mention -- well--"

"My age," Clara finished for him, blushing.

"Yeah. Jeez, I feel terrible."

George was mortified. "_You're_ Clara? Oh, I'm sorry, I just thought--"

"That I'd marry someone closer to my own age," Doc nodded, also blushing. "It's all right, George."

"No, it is _not_all right. I shouldn't assume stuff like that." He held out a hand to Clara. "I'm George McFly, Marty's father, and apparently a master at eating his own feet."

Clara smiled, trying to conceal her confusion over the last part. "Honestly, George, and Marty, it's all right. It's not like I haven't had to deal with people who are shocked when Emmett turns out to be older than me."

Doc put his hand on Marty's shoulder. "I understand you didn't think of it. You're used it to our age difference. It's fine." Marty looked dubious, but dropped it.

Lorraine shook hands with Clara as well. "It's very nice to meet you. I'm Lorraine, Marty's mother."

"Nice to meet you, Lorraine. Thank you for having us over."

"It's my pleasure. Your husband has been a very good friend to Marty." She nodded at Jules and Verne. "These must be your boys."

"Jules Clint and Verne Calvin," Clara said proudly. "Say hello to everyone."

"Hello," Jules and Verne chorused, keeping close to their parents.

Marty came over to make the rest of the introductions. "This is Dave, my brother, and Linda, my sister," he said, pointing them out.

"Hi," Dave said shortly, only glancing up from the stack of forms he had brought with him.

"David, please," Lorraine reprimanded. "You're not at work now. We have guests."

"Sorry, Mom, I just gotta finish this one." Dave signed the paper with a flourish. "There. Sorry about that, but I need to keep up with things with work. I'm slated for a promotion soon."

"Oh, where do you work?" Clara asked.

"_Time Shore_. It's a sci-fi magazine. I'm an executive assistant."

Clara frowned, obviously unsure what to say. "That sounds -- fun."

"Oh, it is," Dave grinned. "I get to read people's stories all day. Most of them aren't much good, but every now and then there's a gem. Dad actually sold his first story to them, way back when. Which reminds me, we want to run an ad for your new novel Dad."

"We'll talk about it later."

Linda shook hands with Clara, examining her. "Do you mind me asking how you two met?"

"Not at all," Doc smiled. "Last year, on a trip to Oregon, I was at the train station. I was studying how trains worked for my 'railroad car.' Clara happened to arrive on the 2:15. Our eyes met, and I knew she was the one."

"I'd come to take a teaching job in O'Hara," Clara elaborated, taking Doc's hand in hers. "I was obligated to stay the year, so I couldn't come home to Hill Valley with Emmett earlier." She gazed adoringly at her man. "I'd never believed in love at first sight before I met him."

"How romantic," Linda sighed.

Marty thought so too. He recognized the story as a modified version of what would have probably happened if he hadn't shown up in 1885. _I bet Clara would have preferred that to nearly falling into a ravine._ He continued on. "This is Jennifer, my girlfriend, and my band, the Pinheads -- Rick, J.J., and Spydo."

Clara blinked. "_Spydo_?"

Verne giggled. "That's a funny name."

"It's my nickname," Spydo explained, chuckling. "My real name's Samuel. Pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Oh, you can call me Clara. Spydo," she said, laughing as she said the name.

Jennifer smiled at Clara. "Marty's told me a lot about you, Clara. I think it's great you and Doc found each other."

"Suppose it was destiny," Clara agreed. She and Doc kissed.

"What did you think of Dr. B's garage?" Rick asked as the family sat down. "I don't know how all four of you are going to live in there. . . ."

"It's just a temporary arrangement," Doc said with a careless wave of his hand. "I'm going to sell the garage and put the money toward a proper house. Is that gift shop still interested in the land, George?"

"As far as I know."

"We could help you sell the garage, Doc," Marty offered. "Dad and I could get a good price out of those guys."

"Why thank you, Marty, I'd appreciate that a lot. That would allow us more time to settle our business in Oregon. I'll let you have a small share of the profits too."

"We couldn't take your money," George protested. "You need it."

"We do need extra cash," Clara said. "I don't know how much houses cost here, but I'm sure the prices have skyrocketed."

"I have money squirreled away for emergencies," Doc assured his wife. "And as for costs, I've got a place in mind that wouldn't break our bank. It's private too, which is a plus. Please, I insist we share the money."

"If you insist. But I refuse to take any more than five percent," George said firmly. Doc nodded his acquiescence to this plan.

Jules and Verne regarded Marty curiously. "How old are you?" Jules asked.

"I'm 17."

"That's old."

"Thanks a lot, kid," Marty said sarcastically.

Neither kid seemed to notice. "Can we see your room?"

Marty looked at Doc and Clara. "Is it okay with you guys?" They both nodded. "All right. Follow me." He led Jules and Verne down the hall and into his room. The two little ones gawked for a minute. "It's messy," Verne finally said. "Almost as messy as Papa's lab."

"Mama makes us keep our rooms neat," Jules said enviously.

"I bet she'll loosen up when you get to be old, like me," Marty assured him, gently teasing.

Verne went over to Marty's guitar, sitting on a chair, and gingerly touched the strings. "Is this your guitar? It looks kinda funny."

"Yeah. It's an electric guitar. You can plug it into something called an amplifier. That makes the sound louder."

"Papa told us about those. He said you blew one up, and he showed us the wreck. It was a big blow-up."

"That was an accident!" Marty shook his head. "I'm going to be hearing about that amp for the rest of my life."

Jules and Verne laughed. "Don't worry," Jules reassured him. "Papa was laughing when he showed us. He liked to tell us stories about you. Is it true you taught him how to boardskate? Will you teach us?"

"It's 'skateboard,' and I _tried_ to teach your dad to do it," Marty said. "He's a pretty agile guy, but he just couldn't get the hang of it. I'll teach you, as long as your parents are okay with it."

Jules grimaced. "I don't think Mama will let us. She thinks the future is dangerous."

"Well, she has a point." Marty pulled a baseball cap from his closet, adjusted it, and playfully plopped it on Jules's head. "This place is more complicated than the Old West. What's Doc told you about it?"

"Cars and electricity and indoor plumbing and microwaves and fast food," Verne rambled off.

"Papa's told us a lot," Jules agreed. "He told us not to go running off anywhere without him until we're settled." He blushed. "We don't want to run off. 1985 is a little scary."

Marty patted him on the shoulder. "I understand, kid. I've been to my own future, and it was kinda scary for me too. If you think this is advanced, wait until 2015 rolls around. But you've got a really great Dad who won't let anything happen to you. I can swear to that." Jules and Verne smiled.

Clara poked her head in. "Boys, we're leaving now."

The boys looked reluctant. "Can't we stay a little longer, Mama?"

"Sorry, but we have a lot of things to do before we can get settled."

"It's okay," Marty told them. "You'll be seeing a lot of me once you're moved in." Jules grabbed at the brim of his cap questioningly. "You can keep that. I don't wear it anymore."

"Just don't wear it in 1892," Clara said as Jules lit up.

"I want a hat too, please," Verne said politely. Marty rifled around in his closet and managed to produce one. He proudly stuck it on Verne's head. "Thank you."

"Are the boys set?" Doc asked, appearing in the doorway.

"Yes Papa," they chorused. "Goodbye Marty." They quickly wrapped their arms around his legs.

Marty patted their heads. "See you later, guys." He extended a hand to Clara as they went over to her. "Nice seeing you again. Welcome to the 20th century."

"Thank you. It was very nice seeing you again too." She shook his hand firmly. "At least I'll know one familiar person in this time." They smiled at each other. "Stay safe now."

"You too." Marty turned to Doc and stuck out his hand again. "I'll see you in the future?"

"Or in the past," Doc nodded. He took Marty's hand, started to shake it, then abruptly yanked the teen into a hug. Marty was a bit startled at first, but gladly reciprocated. "I'm so glad to see you again, Marty."

"Me too, Doc." Marty began wiggling in Doc's grip. "Uh -- you're squishing the shit out of me--"

Doc promptly released him, looking embarrassed. "Sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. You all right?"

Marty grinned at him. "I'm fine." Doc frowned, as if unsure. "Seriously."

"Okay. I'll see you later, Marty."

"Bye Doc." Marty watched as they left, his smile turning into a puzzled frown. Doc had never been that concerned about hurting him before. Sure, he didn't want any harm to come to Marty, but this was also the guy who had forced him to stand in front of a speeding DeLorean on faith alone. Why he would act like Marty was fragile was beyond the teen. He shrugged it off and went to rejoin his family in the living room. "Well?" he asked.

"I can't believe I said that before," George confessed, turning red again. "His stepdaughter. . . ."

"Dad, it was a honest mistake. It's my fault for not telling you."

"I thought they were so romantic together," Linda sighed, smiling dreamily. "The way they met was right out of an old movie."

"You're a sucker for romance," Dave said, rolling his eyes. "I bet you would have been even happier if he'd saved her from falling over a cliff." Marty narrowly fought off a fit of the giggles.

"Clara was a very nice woman," Lorraine said.

"And what a looker," J.J. added.

"J.J.! She's my best friend's wife!"

"Ah, come on, you didn't notice?"

"No. All the 'look' I need is sitting right here," Marty said, sitting next to Jennifer. Jennifer blushed and kissed him.

George looked seriously at Marty. "They were very nice people. I'm glad Doc was able to find the love of his life and two kids. But I'm a little worried about you."

"Me?"

George nodded, face grim. "I hope you understand what this is going to do to your friendship. Marriage changes everything. When I married your mother, I lost a couple of my college buddies because they couldn't adapt. Now that he has a family, he's going to have a lot less time for you, Marty."

"What are you talking about? I'll be visiting him just to get to know everybody. We'll probably be spending more time together."

"You don't understand. You're not the most important person in his life anymore, son. He's married. He's going to want to be with his family, not with you. Plus, he's going to have to support four people now, instead of just one. He doesn't make a lot with E. Brown Scientific Services, does he?"

Marty had to shake his head. "Maybe this'll kick his butt into gear and he'll start selling some of his inventions. I bet Clara's been bugging him about that too." He sighed. "Dad, I know he's going to want to spend time with his family alone. I mean, I've been on the other side of that with you guys, remember? But I doubt he'd ditch me." Thinking back to all the time traveling they had done together, he added, "We've been through a lot together."

George smiled, although he looked a little sad. "I'm glad you feel that way."

Marty shrugged, and the conversation turned to possible layoffs at the tennis club where Lorraine worked. Marty was glad for the change. He knew his father had brought up some good points -- but he just didn't want to think about them right now.


	4. Understanding

Chapter 4

Saturday, November 23rd, 1985

Hill Valley

4:19 P.M.

Finding the Browns a new house hadn't been hard at all. The place Doc had had in mind turned out to be one of the abandoned farmhouses on Zemeckis Road. "It's perfect," Doc had told them while showing them the place. "It's completely private, and there's a shed out back with a large cellar underneath. I can use the shed for my lab, and hide the train in the cellar!"

"Great, Doc. Although now I get why you're not gonna be back until 1986 or so. Making this liveable and remodeling the cellar for the train is gonna take a lot of work."

"True, but I can always use the train to speed up the process a little. And I'm hoping you'll help."

Marty had agreed immediately, and had started working afternoons with Doc. He found it a great way to get to know Doc's family. Jules and Verne seemed to adore him. They constantly wore the baseball caps he had given him -- Clara had confided in him it was hard to get them to take them off when they were in 1892. They followed him around like baby ducks, asking him all sorts of questions about the future. Marty told them everything he knew, quite happy to have his own fan club.

Clara was also very sweet to him, constantly bringing him cookies or other snacks. She seemed almost as curious about the future as her children, especially when it came to the advancements in space travel. But she also seemed extremely nervous about the future. Marty couldn't count how many times she warned him not to play roughly with Jules and Verne. It wore on your nerves after a little while. Marty finally decided that he'd give her a little while to get used to the future, then ask her to lighten up.

But Doc -- Doc was something else again. He seemed more remote since coming back to 1985. His manner toward Marty was more restrained. Their conversation during projects had flowed easily before, but now it came out stilted and awkward. Doc seemed oddly reluctant to talk about anything -- his life back in the 1800s, his marriage and children, even coming home to 1985. Marty thought at first Doc was worried about having to deal with the Libyan terrorists again. But as the days passed, and there was no sign of either curious police or angry fellow terrorists, Marty began to get confused. _If I were him, I'd definitely let my best friend in on all of my adventures._

There were other things too. He'd catch Doc looking at him with the oddest expression on his face. And when he asked about it, Doc would always say, "It's nothing," and immediately change the subject. His hugs were different -- he squeezed harder, and refused to let go until Marty asked. And once, when he was grabbing some milk from the kitchen, he had overhead Doc and Clara arguing. "Emmett, you have to tell Marty."

"I can't. He won't understand."

"Emmett, he's your best friend."

"Even so -- Clara, I just want to forget the whole thing. All of it. As long as Marty doesn't mention it, I won't."

"But he deserves to know!"

"No. It's over with. That's all. I don't want to think about it."

The conversation had completely confused Marty -- and upset him. _What could have been so horrible that Doc doesn't want to talk about it with me? Is it about the terrorists? No, that can't be it. Those two in the van haven't said anything about Doc yet, so he's basically free and clear there. Does he regret all our adventures together with the DeLorean? He did end up calling it an infernal machine by the end. . .but everything turned out great! He got married, I got a great new family. So what's wrong? Why won't he tell me?_

That's what Marty was pondering now, more than a week later. _I don't like this at all. He's so different. Does he even want us to be friends anymore, now that he's got a family? Is he trying to set me up for a goodbye?_ That thought hurt a lot. Marty had thought that all their adventures together had served to make them closer, not more distant.

_Looks like you were wrong, McFly,_ Marty thought sadly, staring out the car window. He, Rick, J.J., and Spydo were all stuffed into Rick's Camaro, spending some time together before Rick headed out of town for Thanksgiving. Rick checked his watch as they rounded a corner. "Dang, I'd better get home. We're leaving early tomorrow, and I have to pack some more stuff."

"Why does your Mom insist on dragging you to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving?" J.J. complained. "Do you really want to be around some old stuffy relatives?"

"Come on, J.J., they're my great-grandparents. I don't know how long they're gonna be around. I want to be able to see them while I have the chance." Rick made his way over to Lyon Estates. "Hey, Marty, ain't that Dr. B's van out front?"

Marty blinked as he saw the familiar white step-van in front of his house. "Yeah. That's right, Doc was coming to pick up the money from the sale of his garage today."

"Cool. We can say hello." Rick parked behind Doc's van. "I just hope your friend Biff ain't here."

"Me too," Marty grimaced, getting out of the car. "I hate that guy. I don't care how nice he acts in front of my dad, he's an asshole through and through."

"Hey, who are you calling an asshole, McFly?"

Marty jumped. "Needles? What are you doing here?"

Needles scowled at Marty. "My truck's in the shop, and my dad's busy at work. So I'm hanging out with Biff for the day."

"That's right," Biff added, frowning at Marty. "Lay off, I do a good job on your car."

"Having to remind you every second that you're supposed to put on two coats of wax is a good job?" Marty countered. Biff just scowled and went back to rubbing invisible spots off of George's BMW.

The front door opened, and Doc and George emerged, smiling. "Thanks again, George. This will really help with the garage remodeling."

"You're welcome, I'm glad I could help out." George waved at the band. "Hey guys. How are you?"

"We're good, Mr. McFly," Spydo said, waving back. "Rick's going away for Thanksgiving again, so we figured we'd spend the day together."

Doc smiled at the friends. "Good to see you all. Marty, thank you again for helping sell the garage. Your father's got your share of the money."

"I figured he did, Doc."

Jules and Verne appeared, tugging on their father's coattails. "Please, Papa, give me a horsey ride," Jules begged.

"No, me, me!"

"Boys, calm down. I'll give you both horsey rides once we're back home, all right?"

"But I want one _now_," Verne whined. "You always give Jules horsey rides and you never give me any."

"That's not true," Doc said sternly. "Now, both of you, you have to wait until we go back home." Jules and Verne pouted. "I'm sorry, but you can't have everything you want just this second."

"Tough being a father, huh?" George teased.

"Well, sometimes," Doc admitted, blushing a little.

"How's the house coming, Dr. B?" J.J. asked.

"It's coming along nicely, although it's a lot of hard work. But I don't mind. Everyone's been working hard to make the place come together."

"Yeah, we know how you've been slave-driving Marty," Rick grinned.

"Slave-driving is right," Marty muttered.

Doc blinked and frowned. "What Marty?"

Marty's confusion over Doc's weird behavior suddenly boiled over into anger. "I said slave-driving is right! I've helped you move in, paint the place, replace the floors, water the lawn. . . . I'm not a friend, I'm your help! You've been acting so weird around me lately, and it's getting on my God-damned nerves! You're acting like I don't mean anything to you anymore! You just want to forget about me and what we've been through together! That's right, I heard you talking about it with Clara! I don't even know you anymore!" Seething, Marty spun around and started storming down the block.

Doc had listened to Marty's tirade in silent shock. Now anger began registering on his features too. "Martin Seamus McFly, you get back here!" he ordered, eyes flashing.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Marty yelled back. "You're not my father!"

"I deserve a rebuttal to that little outburst! Get back here!"

Needles watched the fireworks with a grin on his face. "Are you guys actually fighting?" he snickered. "'Bout time, McFly! I always told you he was a weirdo! You musta wised up after he tried to kill you with his railroad car thing!"

Nobody expected what happened next. Doc froze, his face going deep red. Then he spun around and stormed up to Needles. "You overgrown, shit-faced, pubescent COCKROACH!" he roared, slamming the teen with a solid left in the mouth. Completely unprepared for the attack, Needles fell backwards with a bloody lip.

"Hey, what are you--" Biff began, looking pissed.

Doc turned his glare on him. "You got something to say to me, Tannen?"

Biff wilted. "No sir," he squeaked, going back at the BMW.

The Pinheads and the McFlys gawked at this raw display of emotion from Doc. "Nice left hook," Spydo finally said.

Marty sighed and shook his head. "Doc--"

Doc turned around, his shoulders slumping. Marty was astonished to see that his friend now looked like he was about to cry. "You don't believe him. Please tell me you don't believe him," he said, voice shaking.

"Believe what, Doc?"

"I would _never_ put you in danger. _Ever_."

Marty begged to differ. "What about the DeLorean, Doc? What about the train? I thought you wanted--"

Doc blinked, trying to keep the tears in. "Marty, I swear on all I hold dear -- Clara, the boys, my inventions, my life -- _I meant to say P. M._"

Marty didn't understand for a minute. Then it clicked, and his eyes went wide. "Holy shit, Doc. Did -- did you think I -- died?"

Doc put his face in his hands, starting to cry in earnest. "You have no idea what it was like. I thought I'd murdered you. I thought I'd murdered my best friend. That's why I've been acting so strangely. I didn't want to tell you, I didn't know if you'd believe me, if you'd understand. . . ."

Marty felt absolutely terrible. "Doc, of course I would have understood." He put his arm around his friend. "I'm okay. I got out in time. I never thought you were trying to hurt me. I -- I just didn't get why you were acting like that."

Doc pulled Marty into a hug. "Marty -- I love you, like you were my son. I'm so sorry for all of this."

"It's okay, Doc. I love you too."

Doc finally got a hold on his emotions. He wiped his eyes, blushing. "I'm sorry again. I should have told you earlier. But when I saw you were okay, I just wanted to forget it ever happened."

"It's okay, Doc. Really." Marty smiled, ignoring the stunned looks of the guys. He had never felt more relieved in his life. Doc didn't want to stop being friends at all. All that stuff had actually been a reflection of how close they were. _I'm sorry Doc had to go through all that, but -- man. It's great to know we're still best friends. No matter what other shit happens, I bet nothing will top this._

Verne, apparently satisfied his father was okay, got stern with him. "We don't hit. Say you're sorry."

Doc blushed and looked back and Needles. "Sorry. I've been feeling rather emotional lately. You touched on a very raw nerve."

"No, it's good. It's cool," Needles said nervously, getting to his feet. "Everything's cool. I'll be going now."

"Going? You don't have your car," Biff pointed out, eyeing Doc uneasily.

"I'll walk. It's all cool." Needles began walking rapidly down the block.

"Where are you going?" Rick yelled after him.

"Home."

"Home?! You'll never get there by walking."

Marty laughed. "I think you seriously freaked him out, Doc."

"Well, serves him right, for all the times he's bugged me."

Rick shook his head. "I'm gonna go after him and give him a ride. He's gone crazy." Rick jogged back to his Camaro. "I'll be back in a bit."

"Great, Lorraine made lemon squares," George called after him. J.J. and Spydo promptly went inside to track down the free food. "Are you two okay now?" he asked, looking at Doc and Marty in concern. They nodded.

Jules tugged at Doc's coat again. "Please, Papa, one horsey ride?"

"Oh, all right, just up and down the block," Doc said, picking up Jules.

"Me too! Me too!" Verne squealed.

"Here, Verne, climb up on me," Marty offered, kneeling down. "I'll give you a horsey ride."

"Really?" Marty nodded. "Thank you." Verne scrambled onto his shoulders.

Doc looked at Marty as he stood up. "You sure you want to do this? They can be very tiring, and I'm sure you want to spend time with your other friends."

Marty grinned. "Believe me, Doc, there's nothing in the world I'd rather do."

The End


End file.
